Vehicle-wheel.



L. L. ROGERS.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JULYG, 1910 Patented J an. 28, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

L. L. ROGERS. VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JULYB, 191

Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

- UNITED STATES 'PALITEN for]?ion.

LEO L. .ROGERS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD AUTO SPRING WHEEL-COMPANY, OF PHOENIX, ARIZONA, A CORPORATION OF ARIZONA.

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

Application filed J'uly G, 19l0. Serial No. 570,534.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEO L. ROGERS, a c'itizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massa chusetts, have invented new and useful. Im-

provements in Vehicle-Wheels, of which the;

1 pointed out in the claims.

following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in vehicle wheels of that class in which a rim is resiliently connected to a floating hub and there is provided a means by which the hub and rim are coupled together in such a man ner that they are locked against relative rotation in opposite directions, but movable radially relatively to each other.

The invention relates more particularly when the rim 1s moved to a position eccento improvements in vehicle wheels of the class described in which the resilient means between the hub and rim consists of a series of resilient elements interposed between the hub and rim and in which the driving means consists of a floating ring having means interposed with and forming a slid-- ing connection with the hub and having also means engaging with and forming a sliding connection with thea'im, said connections being located at right angles one to the other.

One object of my invention is to provide improved resilient means between the hub and rim so arranged that during the normal play of the hub and rim certain of the elements yield, while during a greater amount of movement when an abnormal stress occurs, certain other resilient means which are normally inactive will be brought into action.

Another object is to providepractical and novel supporting and guiding means for the resilient element and for connecting the same to the hub and rim.

Still another object is to provide means whereby the resilient elements and their guiding means may be readily and conveniently removed and replaced.

A further object to provide improved means interposed between the hub and rim for transmitting the power from the hub to the rim.

Still another object is to provide such tiI'l\'lIl,Q means with means for preventing axial displacement of the rim relatively to the hub.

Still other objects and advant'ageswill appear hereinafte 'The invention consists in the novel features of constructlon and m the combination and arrangement of parts set forth in the following specification. and particularly Referring to thedrawings: Figure 1 is an elevation of a wheel embodying my invention, a portion of-the wheel being partly broken away and shown in section. Fig. 2 is a sect onal view tak'e'n on line 2-2 of Fig. .1. Fig. 3 1s a sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional the relative position which the parts occupy trio with the hub. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of ,the floating ring which forms the driving connection between the hub and Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

In the drawin 10 is a sleeve provided with an annular ange 11 and mounted upon this sleeve is a second annular flange 12, said flanges forming therebetween an annular space in which is located a ring 13 provided with annular flanges 14 and 15 whose outer faces have sliding engagement with the inner opposed faces of the flanges 11 and 12, respectively. The ring 13 forms a part of a rim 16 which may be of any suitable construction and which, in the present instance, is provided with a plurality of spokes 17 terminating at their outer extremities in a felly 18'to which'a'tire 19'may be secured in any usual or desired manner, as by means of a rim 20. It will be understood, however, thatin the following specification and in the claims the word rim is used in its broader significance and refers to the entire group of parts consisting of the ring 13 with its flanges 14 and 15, the spokes 17, telly 18, tire 19 and rim 20 and such other-parts which, when taken together as a unitary structure, constitute in a broad and generic signification a rim. It Wlll also he understood that in'the following specification as well as in the claims the term hub will be used in its broader significance as referring to the sleeve 10,flanges Hand view of a portion of the wheel illustrating 12, and certain other parts hereinafter described which, when taken together, constitute essentially a hub, the hub and rim bein so connected to each other as to be capable of relative radial movement.

Located between the hub and rim is a series of resilient elements 21 preferably,

consisting of helical compression springs. These springs, respectively, encircle a series "of telescopic devices 22 each of which con sists of two members 23 and 24 slidable one upon the other, the member 23 being tubular in form and the member 24-being slidable in the interior thereof. These sliding telescopic devices'constitute seats for the ends of the springs 21" it being observed that for this purpose the members 23 and 24 are-stems integral, with enlargements 2-5 and 26.

The telescopic devices are suitably connected to the hub and rim so as to hempable of a swinging motion'relative thereto and for this purpose the enlargements 25 are made semi-cylindrical inform and are located, respectively, in corresponding semicylindrical sockets or recesses 27 provided in a ring 28 which constitutes a part of the I hub and is secured to an inner ring 29 keyed to the sleeve 10. Located on opposite faces, respectively, of this ring are two flanges 30 and- 31 which constitute a means for preventing lateral displacement of the semicylindrical enlarged ends 25 of .the members 23.

As a provision for permitting swinging movement of the telescopic devices 22 with respect to the rim, the enlargements 26 of the members 24, respectively, are of hemispherical form and are located in corresponding hemispherical sockets or recesses 32 in the rim, these sockets being preferably formed in socket members 33 extending radially into the ring 13 and having screwthreaded engagement therewith, each of said socket members-being provided with a suitable polygonal =-rece$ 34 to receive a suitable wrench, wherebysaid socket mem bers may be conveniently removed and re- 1 placed in order that the resilient elements together with their respective telescopic devices'may be readily and conveniently remust be of, sufiieient length and be put in under tension so that they will always maintain the enlarged ends 25 and 26 of the members 23 and 24, respectively,' in engagement with their sockets. It will also be readily understood that such of the telescopic devices 22 as are located 'on either side of avertical' line passing through the axis of the hub will be swung more or less in their socket-s according to their positions and as the wheel rotates and as the rim and hub move radially with respect to each other, these telescopic devices will occupy various angular positions with respect to their respective sockets and in this way the springs 21 will at all times be properly guided and supported. The springs 21 are of such strength as to, permit the proper degree of resiliency of the wheel for average riding. It will be understood, however, that there are times when is desirable to bring into action under abnormal stress an auxiliary set of resilient elements which are normally inactive and-to'this end, I provide a series of resilient elements preferably consisting of helical compression springs 35 encircling the members 23, respectively, and

.secured to their inner ends to said members ;in any suitable manner such, for example, as by providing said members, respectively,- with annular grooves 36, shown in. Fig.1

adjacent to the 'enlargements25, the last convolution of the spring being sprung intosaid groove, thus preventing said springs from rattling to and fro longitudinally of the members 23. These springs 35 are shorter than the springs 21 and consequently, are normally inactive, that is, they are not brought into play until an abnormal stress is brought upon the springs 21 so that the springs 35 which, in practice, will be made .quite stifi' constitute in effect butters.

In order to provide sufficient room for the relative telescopic movement of the members 23 and 24, I provide the enlargements 26, respectively, with annular grooves 37 which will recelve the extremities of the tubular portions of the members 23 upon excessive compression of the springs, as clearly I shown .in the lower portion of Fig. 4.

Where the wheel is to be used as the rear driving wheel of the automobile and power is to be transmitted from the hub to the rim, it is, of course, necessary that there shall be provided some means for accomplishing this without interfering with the relative radial movement of the hub'and rim and to this end, I provide a floating ring 38 having suitable means interengaging with the hub and forming a radial slid-- ing connection therewith and other means interengaging with the rim and forming a radial sliding connection therewith, these sliding connections being at right angles one to the other. For this purpose, the ring 38 is provided on oneface with two parallel dovetailed grooves 39 located on opposite sides of the axis of said ring and said ring is provided in.its opposite face with .two similar parallel dovetailed grooves 10- located on opposite sides of said axis, oneare dovetailed tongues 41 formed on or se-" cured to the flange 14 of the ring 13. .Located in the grooves 40, respectively, are dovetailed tongues 42 formed on a plate 43 "seeured to the flange 11 in any suitable Fig. 2.

manner, as by means of screws 44, said plate for the purpose of strength being provided with two lugs 45 located in corresponding recesses 46 provided in the flange 11. The purpose of providing the dovetailed connection between the floating ring 38 and the adjacent flanges 11 and 14 is to prevent axial displacement of the rim relatively to the hub, such connection serving to take some of the strain from the outer guiding flange 12. j

The flange 12 is preferably made adjust: able axially so as to take up the Wear between the sliding faces of the flanges l1 and 12 and the flanges 14 and 15 and to this end the flange 12 is splined upon the sleeve 10 and held in its proper adjustment by means of a ring 47 having screw-threaded engagement with said sleeve, as shown in As a means for preventing the lubricant from leaking out between the sliding faces of the flanges just referred to, I provide the flange 11 with a suitable packing ring 48 held in place by a clamping ring 49 and providing the flange 12 with a suitable packing ring 50 held in place by a clamping ring 51, said packing rings being preferably dovetailed, in practice.

As a. means for protecting the outer face of the flange 15 from dustaiid mud, I provide a protective cap or casing 52 secured to the ring 13 by an suitable means such,

for example, as screws 53, shown in Fi s. l and 2. The hub of the wheel may e driven in any usual or desired manner. In the prcs-entinstance, I have shown the hub as being adapted for chain drive and to this end the sleeve 10 is mounted on suitable annular hearings upon an axle 54 and secured to the flange 11 is a suitable sprocket wheel 35 which, in practice, usually constitutcs a brake drum.

The operation of the wheel, particularly with respect to the relative movements of the rinrand hub. is as follows: It will be understood that the rim and hub are locked against relative rotation by the floating ring 38 having means inter-engaging with and forming a radially sliding connection with the hub and rim and it will be evident that if th hub and rim are moved radially with respect to each other, the tongues 41 will slide in the rooves 39 or the tongues 42 will slide in t ,e grooves 40, or both sets of tongues will slide in their grooves at the same time, according tothe position of said tongues with respect to a vertical plane containing the axis of the hub. It will thus be seen that the hub and rim are at all times locked against relative rotation, but are free to move radially with respect to each other so that the'driving of the rim from 1 are thereby greatly increased and the wheel is rendered more eflicient and practical than would be the case were the tongues and grooves placed diametrically opposite'each other, as in other wheels of this class. The dovetailed connection between, the tongues and the floating ring, as hereinbefore point ed" out, is of considerable practicalimportance in that it receives considerable of the end thrustand relieves the flange '12 of undue strain. j

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire by Letters Patent to secure is:

1. In avehicle wheel, the combination of a hub formed with a series of semi-cylindrical sockets, a rim encircling the hub and. having a series of hemispherical sockets therein, radially disposed telescoping members freely movable in said sockets and having heads seated therein, and resilient :members mounted on said telescoping members and en agin the heads thereof.

g it

2. In :1 ve cle wheel, the combination of a hub formed with a series of sockets segmental in cross section, a rim encircling said hub and provided with a series of threaded openings, threaded socket members engaging said openingsand provided with sockets segmental in cross-section, radially disposed telescoping members connecting the sockets in the hub with the sockets in the rim and formed with heads seated in said sockets, and helical spings mounted on said telescopin mem rs and engaging the heads thereo 3. A vehicle wheel having, in combination, a series of spokes, an outer rim to which the outer ends of said spokes are secured, an inner rim to which the inner ends of said spokes are secured, said inner rim being provided with a series of apertures located between said spokes, a series of socket members provided with sockets and located in saidapertures, respectively, a hub provided with a series of sockets, a series of slidingly telescopic devices each in two parts having sliding contact with each other and able radially vices interposed between the hub and rimcomprising members seating in said sockets and provided with stems, each stem connected to a member seated in the run having telescopic engagementwith a stem connected to a member seated in the hub, 21 series of resilient elements interposed between said hub and rim, each of said elements comprising a spring disposed about a pair of said telescopic stems and of less length than the distance between said membi rs and a second spring encircling said first mentioned spring and bearing on said members connected to the stems.

5. In a vehicle wheel, the combination of a hub formed with a series of sockets segmental in cross section, a rim encircling said hub and provided with a series of openings, removable and adjustable socket members seated in said openings and provided with and hub each being sockets segmental in cross section, radially disposed pairs of telescoping members connecting the sockets in the hub with the sockets in the rim, said telescoping members be ing formed with heads which are freely movable in the sockets in the hub and rim,.

and a spring surrounding the telescoping portion of each pair of said telescoping members and bearing on the heads-thereof.

-6. In a vehicle wheel, the combination of hub, spokes connecting the rims and located between the removable socket members, a series. of 'swingable telescopic devices comprising pairs of elements seated in correspondingsockets in the hub and intermediate rim, and a helical spring surrounding each pair of telescopic elements and seating on the parts thereof sockets.

In testimony whereof I have'hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing projecting into the witnesses. LEO L. ROGERS.

Witnesses:

LOUIS A. J ONES,

MaoELEmE FOSTER. 

